John Cleary: All we can do now is go back to the training field and see can we improve for the next day

CORK senior football manager John Cleary was naturally down and disappointed after his side suffered a third defeat from three games in the Allianz Division 2 football league.

Cavan came to town yesterday evening and turned over the Leesiders at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, as they prevailed on a scoreline of 0-17 to 0-16. There was just one point in it at the end, but Cavan controlled most of the second half and were deserving winners in the end. Cork did have a strong first half showing as they led 0-11 to 0-8 at half-time, but the failure to kick on after the break has become a familiar pattern. Cork were reduced to 14 players after 45 minutes when Luke Fahy got sent off, but the game was slipping before that happened. 

“We are very disappointed,” Cleary said.

“We got four points in-a-row to go up three at half-time. They started better in the second half and we just didn’t seem to get to grips with the game. Goal chances, we didn’t take them. We went down to 14, but I thought we fought very hard and it was nip and tuck and it came down to a ball going one way or another. We came out, got turned over, and they got a point to go two clear late on. We went down the other end to leave a point in it.

“I thought we played very well at times, butchered our goal chances, and we are left to pay the price by losing by a point. We might have deserved a draw in the end, but we didn’t and look, we are going home now with nothing because we didn’t take our chances. Now, I know they missed a few chances too in the second half.” 

It leaves Cork with a huge mountain to climb now and the Rebels boss admits the pressure is on to get results to climb up the table.

“We have three games played now, it will probably settle down after four games,” says Cleary.

“The big thing we need now at this stage is to get a win on the board. If we do get a win, we can see where we go from there. We aren’t looking too far ahead really, we have no chance to think about that right now. We have to prepare to go to Fermanagh, heads are a small bit down. Like the Louth game, we had the winning of the game today. We could easily be sitting here with four points, but we are not.

“Credit to Cavan, we knew it was going to be a tough game. They beat Kildare away and ran Donegal to a point the last day and could have drawn it or won it on another day, so they are a good side. But, from our point of view, we are disappointed. Our execution wasn’t up to the mark.” 

Fermanagh at St Joseph’s Park in Ederney is next on the agenda for Cork, which will take place next Sunday at 2pm. To say the Leesiders have to pick up two league points would be an understatement.

“All we can do now is go back to the training field and see can we improve for the next day and can we get a win under our belt.” Cleary concluded.